Thursday, January 5, 2023


Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today

 

The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )

Pan-Financial New Year's Greeting held for the first time in three years
Six financial institutions, including the Korea Federation of Banks, held the 2023 Pan-Financial New Year's Greeting at the Crystal Ballroom of Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul on Jan. 3. This year's pan-financial New Year's greeting is a more meaningful event in that it has resumed events that have not been held for the past two years due to COVID-19. About 400 people attended the New Year's greeting, including representatives of financial companies, government officials, lawmakers, journalists and representatives of financial-related organizations.


Uijeongbu City Youth Foundation, holds the inauguration ceremony for the 2nd Chairman Gyeong Gyu-gwan
The Uijeongbu City Youth Foundation held an inauguration ceremony for the 2nd Chairman Gyeong Gyu-gwan and a kick-off ceremony with the goal of becoming a “specialized youth organization that grows together and shares happiness” in celebration of the New Year 2023. Chairman Gyeong Gyu-gwan, who will be inaugurated as the second Chairman, is evaluated as the right person to lead the Uijeongbu City Youth Foundation as he has extensive experience in youth-related research and field activities while serving as principal of Goyang High School and Uijeongbu Technical High School.

 

Trade, Industry & Energy Minister Lee Chang-yang visits LG Chem’s Osong plant
Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Lee Chang-yang visited the LG Chem’s Osong plant on January 3 to assess recent domestic and international bioindustry trends and discuss measures to strengthen Korea’s competitiveness. Minister Lee received a briefing from the company’s President Son Jee-woong on company operations and issues, led discussions on bioindustry trends and toured the facilities, encouraging the site employees, a ministry spokesman said on Jan. 4.

 

                                                            


Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Korean Carmakers' Sales Edge up

Korea's five carmakers' sales edged up last year thanks to a recovery in global demand that offset slow domestic sales amid a shortage of semiconductors. Hyundai sold 3.94 million cars last year, up 1.4 percent from the previous year. Domestic sales fell 5.2 percent to 688,884 cars, but overseas sales rose 2.9 percent to 3.26 million. Affiliate Kia sold 2.9 million cars, up 4.6 percent -- domestic sales edged up only 1.1 percent to 541,068 cars, but overseas sales rose 5.4 percent to 2.36 million.

 

Panel Urges Raising Pension Age

A civilian panel tasked with reforming the National Pension Service has recommended raising the age when Koreans qualify for their pension, while requiring them to keep paying contributions for longer. The aim is to ensure that the NPS does not run out of money as the elderly population grows exponentially. The panel submitted the proposal to the National Assembly on Tuesday. At present, Koreans qualify for their pension between the ages of 60 and 63 depending on where they were born, rising to 65 in 10 years' time. They are required to keep paying into the fund until they are 59.

 

Measles Is Back After COVID Lockdown
Measles has broken out in Korea for the first time in three years, and health authorities are advising parents to get their children vaccinated. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Tuesday said a man in his 40s tested positive for measles on Monday. He is in stable condition and getting treatment at home. The man arrived at Incheon International Airport from Doha, Qatar on Dec. 29 and developed a rash on Dec. 31.

                                                                                     

Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )

Infected Chinese traveler bolts quarantine
A Chinese national who tested positive for the coronavirus at Incheon International Airport on Tuesday escaped a state-run quarantine facility and is at large. According to Incheon police, the 41-year-old suspect was caught on CCTV walking to a supermarket early Wednesday morning near the quarantine facility in Incheon – and that's the last trace of them. Officers warned the suspect, if apprehended, could face up to a year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won ($7,900), deportation and restrictions on future entry into Korea.


Korean EV battery makers' market share shrinks in first 11 months of 2022
Three Korean electric vehicle (EV) battery makers saw their global market share sink in the first 11 months of 2022 from a year earlier amid robust growth of Chinese rivals, industry data showed Wednesday. The trio — LG Energy Solution, SK Innovation and Samsung SDI — held a combined 23.1 percent of the global EV battery market in the January-November period, down 7.4 percentage points from a year earlier, according to the data from market researcher SNE Research. The market portion of LG Energy Solution fell to 12.3 percent from 19.6 percent during the period, with its global ranking dropping to third place from second. LG Energy Solution counts Tesla, Volkswagen and Audi as its clients.


Ministry denies omission of Gwangju from history books was political
The Education Ministry refuted an allegation that it deliberately eliminated descriptions of the May 18 Gwangju Uprising in new history textbooks for public elementary, middle and high schools. The standards for changing textbook content are still in the process of being developed,” Oh Seung-geol, head of the Responsible Public Education Policy Bureau of the ministry, told the press on Wednesday. “We have yet to review the contents compiled, and we will make sure that elements [such as the May 18 movement] are included.”


                                                               
 

The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)

'Sep 19 military agreement may be suspended,' says Yoon
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed on Wednesday to consider suspending the September 19 military agreement if North Korea commits another territorial invasion. He warned that the September 19 military agreement between the two Koreas would be suspended four years and three months after its signing in 2018 during the Moon Jae-in administration if a provocation similar to the North’s invasion of South Korean airspace with drones in December last year occurs again. The president also ordered more efforts to develop and produce stealth drones by the end of the year and establish a drone killer system to take down drones quickly.

 

President Yoon rules out cabinet reshuffle plans
President Yoon Suk Yeol said in the first Cabinet meeting of 2023 on Tuesday that he had no plans for a cabinet reshuffle, dispelling any rumors of a cabinet change that had been raised since last year. According to the Presidential Office and the government, President Yoon asked cabinet members to “pay no attention to rumors and focus on duties for the new year” in his closing remarks at the Cabinet Meeting held at the Presidential Office in Yongsan.


Russia-Ukraine war breaches 10-month mark
The Russia-Ukraine war that started with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 now passed its 10-month mark, moving fast into a phase of the war of attrition with no sign of an end. In September 2022, Russia announced that it had annexed the following four provinces - Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Kherson, and Donetsk - but battles are ongoing between the two nations over those areas. The New York Times estimated that Russia and Ukraine each have over 100,000 casualties.

 

                                                                   
 

Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)

South Korea posts largest trade surplus with Vietnam in 2022
South Korea is experiencing a change in its international trade relationship with Vietnam as trade with the Southeast Asian country showed the biggest surplus last year. Korea’s trade surplus with Vietnam came to $34.25 billion in 2022 on exports of $60.98 billion and imports of $26.72 billion, data published by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday showed. This put Vietnam as Korea’s largest partner in terms of trade surplus.


KEPCO’s bond rates rise as Korea Inc. rushes to debt market
Interest on Korea Electric Power Corp. bonds are rising this month as companies are rushing to raise funds after a slew of government measures helped to stabilize the debt market hit by rate hikes and concerns of an economic slowdown. There are growing concerns that the supply burden, which was reported as a culprit of the local money market crunch during the second half of last year, could be repeated as financial institutions have been scrambling to raise funds, due to the risk of an economic recession.

 

S. Korea may revise up tax credit on chip facility investment
The South Korean government will seek to revise up the tax credit on new chip facility investments to lure more investments in the country’s semiconductor sector amid intensifying global competition for critical technology like semiconductor. The government on Thursday proposed to increase the tax credit on facility investments in national strategic technologies like chips, batteries, vaccines, and display to 15 percent for large and mid-size companies from current 8 percent.

 

                                                     
 

HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)

Biden denies talk of joint US-SK nuclear exercises after Yoon’s comments spark confusion
The divergent remarks by the South Korean and US presidents on discussions of “joint planning and exercises” involving US nuclear capabilities in response to the North Korean nuclear and missile threats are drawing attention to differences in their attitudes on the nuclear arsenal’s operation. When asked by a reporter Monday whether the US was discussing joint nuclear exercises with South Korea, US President Joe Biden answered in the negative, according to a Reuters report.

 

Yoon stirs confusion again with rash talk of joint nuclear exercises with US
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s remarks about alleged discussions of joint nuclear planning and exercises with the US have been making waves. They have also been a source of some confusion, as US President Joe Biden sent a different message with his curt negative response when asked about this by the press. It’s been said that the remarks are an extension of an agreement reached by South Korean and US military authorities late last year. But it seems quite rash and inappropriate for the president to suddenly announce such things to a particular news outlet when such a sensitive matter hasn’t even been coordinated with the other side.

 

US calls for bolstering SK-US-JP security cooperation: Ploy for checking China?
Political tensions are climbing on the Korean Peninsula at the beginning of the new year, with the leaders of South and North Korea emphasizing “preparations for war.” As calls for strengthening trilateral security cooperation between South Korea, the United States and Japan grow louder citing the North Korean threat, critics say such cooperation could become yet another factor of tension in line with the strategic competition between the United States and China. According to Voice of America’s coverage on Monday, US diplomacy and security experts stressed that the Joe Biden administration should actively push trilateral security cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo in the new year, while maintaining the existing policy of pressure on Pyongyang.

                                                  

The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)

We Will by All Means Extend the Parliamentary Inquiry” Democratic Party Meets Itaewon Victims’ Families
Park Hong-keun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on Tuesday, “We will by all means extend the parliamentary inquiry into the Halloween crowd crush in Itaewon,” and argued that the lawmakers needed at least ten more days. Park made the statement when he met with a group representing the October 29 Itaewon crowd crush victims’ families at the National Assembly on January 3. The special committee for the parliamentary inquiry, which launched on November 24, 2022, will conclude its 45-day inquiry on January 7.

Investigations Trying to Embarrass My Spouse and My In-laws” Is President Yoon Giving Guidelines to the Prosecution Service?
President Yoon Suk-yeol recently described the prosecutors’ investigations into his in-laws as an attempt “to catch whatever they can.” His comment has triggered speculation that the president is giving directions on the investigation and trial. President Yoon has been personally controlling the Prosecution Service through Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon and filled key positions in the Prosecution Service with prosecutors in “Yoon Suk-yeol’s Division,” so experts argued that the messages like the latest one could influence investigations and the maintenance of public prosecution (trials).


Government to Exempt Tolls During Lunar New Year Holiday and Reduce Utility Bills for the Vulnerable
The government decided to waive expressway tolls during the Lunar New Year holiday and to reduce the electricity and gas bills for the vulnerable. The government will announce Seollal (Lunar New Year) holiday measures to stabilize people’s livelihoods including these decisions on January 4. Sung Il-jong, head of the People Power Party (PPP) policy committee met with reporters after a meeting of government, PPP, and private sector representatives to discuss measures to secure the people’s livelihoods during the Lunar New Year holiday at the National Assembly on January 3.

 

                                                            

KBS(http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)

White House: Biden, Kishida to Discuss Trilateral Military Cooperation in Summit
U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will reportedly discuss trilateral military cooperation among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan during their summit set for next Friday. John Kirby, the White House National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, made the remarks during a virtual press briefing on Wednesday while commenting on the agenda for the upcoming summit. Kirby noted that there have been some bilateral exercises between the U.S. and Japan in recent weeks in direct response to increasing tensions by North Korea, and such exercises will continue.


Military to Conduct Anti-Drone Training Thursday
The military will conduct an air-defense exercise on Thursday to counter potential incursions by small-sized enemy drones. According to the military on Wednesday, the training supervised by the Joint Chiefs of Staff will be held on Thursday afternoon in Gyeonggi and northern Gangwon Provinces and the greater Seoul area. The Army's Ground Operations Command, Capital Defense Command and Air Command as well as the Air Force Operations Command will participate in the drill.

 

2.4 Magnitude Earthquake Occurs Near Jeju Island
An earthquake with a magnitude of two-point-four occurred near the country's southern island of Jeju on Thursday. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration(KMA), the earthquake was reported at 12:28 a.m. in waters about 64 kilometers east-northeast of Seogwipo City on Jeju. The depth of the epicenter was estimated at 24 kilometers. The KMA said that the tremor, the first of the year with a magnitude of two or higher on the Korean Peninsula, is thought to have caused no damage.

 

                                                                        
 

Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Yoon's office considers suspending 2018 inter-Korean summit agreement
The office of President Yoon Suk Yeol is considering suspending a 2018 inter-Korean summit agreement if North Korea violates the South's territory again, officials said Thursday. The Pyongyang Joint Declaration was signed by then President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after their September 2018 summit in Pyongyang. The possibility of suspending it comes after Yoon instructed the presidential National Security Office on Wednesday to consider suspending a military tension reduction agreement, which was signed as an annex to the Pyongyang Joint Declaration, in the event the North carries out a provocation similar to its drone infiltration of South Korean airspace last week.


Yoon says S. Korea should consider suspending 2018 tension reduction deal
President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered aides to consider suspending a 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction agreement if North Korea violates the South's territory again, an official said Wednesday. Yoon's remark came after five North Korean drones infiltrated South Korean airspace last week, raising serious questions about South Korea's readiness posture. On Wednesday, Yoon was briefed by the presidential National Security Office, the defense ministry, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Agency for Defense Development on the country's anti-drone preparations.

 

Seoul lifts citywide 35-story limit on apartment buildings
The city government of Seoul on Thursday lifted a citywide 35-story limit on apartment buildings to allow more flexible city planning and more colorful landscapes, officials said. The city will abolish the blanket cap that had been applied to Grade-3 residential buildings across Seoul and permit the maintenance of skylines befitting conditions of each district, according to a long-term basic city design plan announced earlier in the day. The height limit was introduced in a former city plan announced in 2014 to help secure residents' access to sunlight and prevent the monopolization of city views.

 

                                                    


The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)

Yoon considers suspension of military agreement on reducing tensions with NK
President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered the nation's spy chief to consider suspending an inter-Korean military agreement signed in 2018 to reduce military tensions if North Korea commits provocations again. The commander in chief also instructed the military to establish a joint drone unit capable of mass-producing small, undetectable drones, the presidential office said Wednesday. Yoon's instructions came after he was briefed about the response strategy to North Korea’s drones by the National Security Office, Defense Ministry, Joint Chiefs of Staff and Agency for Defense Development, according to Kim Eun-hye, his public relations chief.

 

US concerned about N. Korea's disregard of military agreement with S. Korea: State Dept.
The United States is concerned about North Korea's disregard of a tension-reduction agreement it signed with South Korea in 2018, a state department official said Wednesday. "We are concerned about the DPRK's apparent disregard of the 2018 comprehensive military agreement, and we call on it to end its irresponsible and escalatory behavior," department press secretary Ned Price said during a daily press briefing. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.


US will continue to enhance defense readiness against N. Korean threats: Kirby
The United States will continue to enhance its joint defense readiness with South Korea and Japan by conducting additional joint military exercises against growing North Korean threats, a White House official said Wednesday. John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, also highlighted that the US has devoted additional intelligence gathering and military capabilities to the region to that end.

 

 

                                                   

 

The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Yoon warns of suspending 2018 military pact if North Korea violates border again
President Yoon Suk-yeol said Wednesday that he will consider suspending a 2018 military pact signed between the two Koreas if North Korea violates the inter-Korean border again. The warning comes a week after five North Korean drones entered the South's airspace in a clear violation of the pact, under which the two sides agreed to cease hostile activities and take steps to build military trust. According to a high-ranking official at the presidential office, Yoon said there are no reasons for South Korea to adhere to the deal, which the North frequently ignores by testing missiles or sending unmanned aerial vehicles.

 

Biden, Kishida to meet in Washington on Jan. 13
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday he would hold talks with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on Jan. 13, and would also visit other G7 allies this month. The visit will be Kishida's first trip to the U.S. capital since taking office in October 2021, though he has held talks with Biden several times, including in Japan. Japan is assuming the presidency of the G7 grouping and Kishida said he also planned to visit members France, Italy, Canada and Britain this month. He said the meeting with Biden would be "extremely important" and demonstrate "the strengthening Japan- U.S. alliance."

 

US concerned about NK's disregard of military agreement with Seoul: State Dept.
The United States is concerned about North Korea's disregard of a tension-reduction agreement it signed with South Korea in 2018, a state department official said Wednesday. "We are concerned about the DPRK's apparent disregard of the 2018 comprehensive military agreement, and we call on it to end its irresponsible and escalatory behavior," department press secretary Ned Price said during a daily press briefing. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.


                                                                                                                  

 

What’s ticking around the world at this second?

See what the world media around the world have to report:

USA Today www.usatoday.com aallman@gannett.com

The New York Times www.nytimes.com inytletters@nytimes.com

Wall Street Journal www.wsj.com support@wsj.com, service@wsj-asia.com

Financial Times www.ft.com ean@ft.com

The Times www.thetimes.co.uk help@timesplus.co.uk

The Sun www.thesun.co.uk talkback@the-sun.co.uk

Chinese People's Daily www.people.com.cn kf@people.cn

China Daily www.chinadaily.com.cn circulation@chinadaily.com.cn

Gwangmyeong Daily www.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn

Japan's Yomiuri www.yomiuri.co.jp japannews@yomiuri.com

Asahi www.asahi.com customer-support@asahi.com

Mainichi www.mainichi.jp

Le Monde www.ilemonde.com

Italy LaRepubblica www.quotidiano.repubblica.it vittorio.zucconi@gmail.com

Germany Frankfurter AllgemeineZeitung www.faz.net anzeigen.ausland@faz.de

SüddeutscheZeitung www.sueddeutsche.de forum@sueddeutsche.de

Australia Brisbane Times www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Sydney Morning Heraldwww.smh.com.au

Colombia Reports http://colombiareports.com

Bogota Free Planet http://bogotafreeplanet.com, bfp@bogotafreeplanet.com

El Universal http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/english

Andes http://www.andes.info.ec/en

Ecuador Times http://www.ecuadortimes.net

The Jordan Times https://www.jordantimes.com

LSM.lv http://www.lsm.lv/en

The Baltic Times http://www.baltictimes.com lithuania@baltictimes.com, estonia@baltictimes.com, editor@baltictimes.com

El Pais http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html

Philippine Daily Inquirer https://www.inquirer.net

Daily News Hungary http://dailynewshungary.com

Budapest Times http://budapesttimes.hu
                                                                                                               

 

The Korea Post is running video clips from the different embassies.

Azerbaijan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8CBpcQ4WM

Sri Lanka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hByX92Y2aGY&t=22s

Morocco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFmp2sVvSE

And many other countries.
 

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